Suspender



Oct; 1,1946.

J. LA FRENIER SUSPENDER A Filed May 17, 1944 Patented Oct. 1, 1946 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE SUSPENDER a John La Freni er, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 17, 1944, Serial No. 535,992

(o1. 2 ss1) 2 Claims. l

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in suspenders, and more particularly to novel means for attaching the back of the suspenders to theftrousers, whereby the back of .the trousers may be dropped, when desired, without necessitating a complete removal of the suspenders from the trousers and without removing the shoulder strapsfrom the shoulders of the wearer. r

A further important object of the present invention is to provide novel. clamping means for the suspenders by means of which the same may be easily and quickly clamped in position to the v upper edge of the trousers.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is eflicient and reliable in performance, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view showing the suspenders in position attached to the trousers.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on a line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View through one of the clamping members.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on a line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a modified form of clamp construction. v

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numerals 5 and 6 designate a pair of shoulder straps having their front ends attached to the front edges of a pair of trousers I in any suitable manner, the rear ends of the straps converging and connected by a leather member 8 at a point 2 opening [I and the bottom opening I2 being curved to form a guide l3 for a cord I l which is slidably positioned in the connector 9 with its intermediate portion forming a loop I5 extending downwardly from the connector and to which is attached a clamping member I6 by means of an eye H. The ends of the cord I4 are also provided with similar clamping members I8 attached to the upper edges of the trousers I at the respective sides thereof while the clamping member I5 is also attached to the upper edge of the trousers at the back portion thereof.

The loops I5 of the cord I4 is enclosed in a coil spring I 9 having its edges abutting the lower edgeof the connector 9, the spring being compressed when the central clamping member I6 is released from the trousers and the ends of the cord I4 is pulled throughthe connector 9 and upon releasing the pulling force on the ends of the cord, the spring lSlwill function to project the loop I5 downwardly into a position for conveniently grasping by the hand of a person.

When the clamping members I6 and I8 are attached to the upper edges of the trousers, the latter will be supported in the usual manner, and when it is desired to drop the trousers, the rear clamping member I6 is released and the cord l5 pulled through the connector 9 in a manner to contract the loop I5. g

The clamping members l6 and I8 are shown in detail in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing and include a back jaw 20 on the upper edge of which the eye I! is formed and having an inturned lower end 2|. The inner face of the jaw 20 is formed with spaced lugs 22 having a pin 23 inserted therethrough and on which is pivotally mounted a second jaw member 24 by means of the lugs 25 on the inner face thereon A pair of links 26 are pivoted to the inner face of the jaw 20 by means of a pin 21, the links being connected at their upper ends by a pin substantially at the centerof the back of the wearer.

A metal connector 9 is formed at its upper edge with a hanger bar ID to which the leather connecting member 8 is attached, the connector 9 being of relatively flat hollow construction having side openings II and a bottom opening I2, the edges of the connector between each side 28 to which is also pivotally secured the angular upper end 29 of a lever 30 which is pivoted on the upper end of the jaw 24 by a pin 3|. The upper end of the jaw 24 is accordingly connected to the upper portion of the jaw 29 by means of the links 26 and lever 30 and by moving the lever 33 toward and away from the jaw 24, the free end of the jaw 24 will be moved toward and away from the free end of the jaw 20 into and out of clamping engagement. I

In Figure 6 I have illustrated a modified form of trousers clamping member and which includes a U-shaped member 32 having the cord 33 engaged at the bight portion thereof and a lever 34 pivoted on a pin 35 at one end of the member 32. The lever 34 is formed with a laterally extending upper end 35 adapted to force the edge of the trousers 31 against the other leg of the member 32 when the lever 34 i moved in one direction and to release the trousers when the lever is moved in an opposite direction.

Through the provision of either form of the clamping member, as shown in Figures i and 6, the cord may be easily and quickly attached to the upper edge of the trousers and detached therefrom when desired.

It is believed the details of construction, operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

l. A trousers suspender comprising a pair of shoulder straps attachable at their front ends conventionally to the adjacent front waist portions of the trousers and converging toward their rear ends and being carried over the shoulders and downwardly at the back of the wearer, a rigid guide element connected. supportedly and suspendedly to the rear ends of the shoulder straps. a cord slidably mounted intermediate its ends in the guide element and its central portion being looped and extended downwardly below the guide element, means for attaching the ends of the cord to the opposite sides of the trousers at the waist portions thereof, single means for attaching the loop of the cord releasably to the rear middle of the trousers waist portion, and spring means carried by the cord loop and urging the loop downwardly and normally holding the same yieldably in extended position.

2. A trousers suspender comprising a pair of shoulder straps attachable at their front end portions conventionally to the adjacent front waist portion of the trousers, the rear end portions of said shoulder straps being convergent and carried over the shoulders and downwardl at the back of the wearer, a rigid guide element hingedly connected transversely at its upper end to the rear end portions of said shoulder straps and depending swingably therefrom, said guide element having transversely spaced-apart, curvilinear, inwardly and downwardly convergent portions at opposite. sides thereof for slidably supporting an elongated cord, a single elongated cord element supported between its opposite ends slidably on said curvilinear portions of the guide element, the middle portion of the cord element being looped downwardly between said curvilinear supporting portions of the guide element, the opposite end portions of said cord element having provision for attachment thereof to the oppo site sides of the trousers at the waist portion of the same, a single depending fastener element slidably mounted centrally on the downwardly looped middle portion of the cord element and being releasably attachable to the middle rear waist portion of the trousers, and a spring element coiled around the downwardly looped middle portion of the cord element with the ends of the spring element abutting the said curvilinear side portions of said guide element, whereby to normally urge the said looped portion of the cord element downwardly and hold the same yieldably in extended position.

JOHN LA FRENIER. 

